(Third of a series) Nonverbal language or body language is a powerful component of the communication cycle as it can help you understand your subject’s internal responses as well as his external behavior. Plenty of information about your subject’s outlook and mindset can be elicited from his nonverbal expressions and gestures. In today’s post we are going to focus on the handshake, arm gestures and other types of hand gestures [...]

What is influence? One of the biggest achievements of NLP is the successful re-introduction of the art of influence. Influence is generally defined as “having an effect on a person or group of people.” When we communicate with others, we do so with the firm intention of influencing them (whether you know it or not). When a speaker successfully influences his subject, his power of persuasion can extend beyond the [...]

(First of a series) How can we use body language to influence others? Body language or nonverbal language accounts for more than 50% of what we express when we interact with others. Intimate knowledge of body language can help you achieve two things: You will be able to align your verbal message with positive and open body language. This will improve your overall projection as an authoritative and influential speaker. [...]

(3rd of a series) How does the mind make sense of reality? Jean Baudrillard, a postmodern philosopher, once said that we live in an age where the image of an object has become a substitute for the object itself. He calls this era “the age of the hyper-real,” where “real” doesn’t necessarily refer to external reality, but rather, an image of it. This development in the way people view reality [...]

(2nd of a series) How does the subconscious mind work? In our last post, we talked about the functions of the brain, the nature of the human mind and how the conscious mind works. We learned that the conscious mind is tasked with filtering ideas and analyzing sensory stimuli so that we do not become overwhelmed with the endless stream of information from the external environment. Neuro-linguistic programming works [...]

(First of a series) How does the human brain keep us going? The human brain is an extraordinary piece of natural engineering. It works 24 hours a day and 7 days a week without rest. Even in our sleep, our brains do not “turn off,” as they have to keep track of time and sensory input even during the deepest and most restful cycles of nightly sleep. Sensory inputs during [...]

(Second of a series) In my last post, I shared with you the essentials of reading and understanding body language. We learned that in order to maximize the usefulness of body language, you have to learn how to read it in its proper context and you also have to observe all possible signals from your subject. In today’s post we are going to discuss some practical ways that you can [...]

(Third of a series) In our last blog post we discovered that a great way to make a good first impression is by using a technique called “matching and mirroring.” Matching and mirroring utilizes our natural ability to adapt other people’s vocal and nonverbal signals so we can harmonize with our subjects more easily. We also learned that in some instances, matching and mirroring won’t work immediately because a subject may [...]

(Second of a series) How is communication influenced by rapport? Neurolinguistic programming emphasizes the need to elicit and use feedback throughout the interaction to get the best possible results when communicating with someone. Rapport or harmony-building is the process of eliminating differences between the speaker and subject with the intention of making the speaker more efficient and persuasive. What are the channels of communication? There is an old yet pervasive [...]

(First of a series) How can you persuade or influence others through rapport? In the world of neuro-linguistic programming, the true measure of a communicator’s success is based on how well he persuades or influences his subject. Why? Because the main purpose of all human communication is influence, in its various manifestations. When a person speaks to another person, he does so with the intention of earning the person’s trust [...]